Fall of A Hero
by James631
Summary: A challenge to the hero of New City who battles for more than his heart's sake against a powerful nameless foe. A villain with enough dark magic of two gods to bring the man to his knees.
1. To the Bitter End

Disclaimer: I do not own the DC characters

Claimer: I own my OC characters

"I always think it adds residences to a hero's mission to have some defining element of tragedy in his background, don't you?" the Joker mocked.

-This chapter is dedicated to Miles333 for the many entertaining stories she has made-

-Taken place before the Justice League expanded, before the golden age of heroes began when there were just simply heroes. One of which two powerful beings feared and hated entirely-

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**Fall of a Hero**

**Chapter One**

**To the Bitter End**

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**April 3, 2002**

**New City Resting Grounds**

The breaking thunderclaps overhead signaling the pending storm's arrival.

Groggily he made his way through the graveyard; both hands carried at his left side to protect the blood covered wound the monstrous creature gave him before defeating it. A thing spawned from the forces of dark magic nearly killing Alexander with him collapsing against a tombstone to support his battered body. Fighting such things wasn't all too different from what he was use to but three days of unending and enduring battles with other similar creatures of sort pushed Alexander with his powers to the limit. No time for rest, no time for anything. At the end of this road of suffering the man responsible for all of this gave his word he would see Amy again.

Blood escaped from the corners of Alexander's mouth, panting was his breath from the fatigue of his body. His eyes closed and weight shifted all onto the tombstone for a chance of rest that was denied him for what seemed like entirety. With painful grunts he got up fearing not being able to rise if he laid here dying for too long. A press down with his hand on the stone as if to somehow beat back the weariness and broken spirit he carried with him.

Both black covered gauntlet fists balled tightly in hopes of enduring. Lightning crackled and danced along his body. A figure being a prime example of physical prowess and strength. His black boots tattered and stained in mud over the uneasy grounds, black cape torn and ripped covering gracefully over his body with a mask of matching black outlines and storm gray mixtures to cover his head. The bold yellow bolt on his chest resting upon a black armor like covering that ended at his lower torso and sharply finishing at his shoulders. All of it, cut, grazed, and stripped of its primal state. A black plating covering his abdomen ending tainted with blood under the chest plating and a bronze belted waist. The remaining of attire, a fine storm gray, covering his muscular framed.

The majestic figure of Thunderbolt; broken.

"_Alex_..." he could hear her call in his head.

A memory he surmised. Like the many times the woman's voice was heard calling for him the past three days.

"_Alex_," her voice said with more caution.

Thunderbolt dropped his forehead on his resting fist. His breathing became gasps of air and were uncontrolled. Amy trying to contact him? But how?

"_Look out_!" the voice shouted in him.

Alexander's eyes shot open. He snapped his body around in an instant to see a winged creature of shadow form racing down towards him. Wings for arms that attached as far down as the thing's thighs. The creature's skin was a rough and dry like leather, but moved like paper. Its mouth hung out like a beak with pointed teeth. A few strains of hair on top with black hollowed eyes for its features. The screeched at its prey for seeing it was strong and ear pounding, enough to make them bleed.

It sprung forth its claws for the kill.

Thunderbolt followed it with his eyes carefully ducking at its first strike attempt. It flew over him and would swing around for another pass. He hovered his hand over the other bringing forth a dazzling display of his electrical power. Before long the bolts formed into a ball held in place with stains of lightning at both ends of his hands.

The flying thing made its turn in the sky and came down fast and hard towards him.

Thunderbolt waited.

It screeched and extended its claws once more for the kill.

Alexander's face turned bitter, readying to pitch like a baseball. The creature came within inches and there the ball of electricity was thrown as its foe. Too close and too fast to dodge the impact. A scream from the beast in the flash of light before torn apart.

He stood there strongly and unimpressed with the distraction. A look around to the low level groaning of something and a newly found eeriness hovering over the graveyard. Something was wrong with this place but from everything that could be seen with human eyes, Alexander saw nothing out of the ordinary. He continued forward with a stab of pain at his wounded side hindering fast progress. Never ceasing to look around for the certainty that his foe -who was still nameless to identify- wasn't done with his bag of tricks.

A human figured seen in the distance.

"You there!" Thunderbolt halted. He stared for a moment at the person masked in shadow and distance to see any details. He pointed to him, instantly knowing something wasn't right. "Show yourself!"

The person obeyed, saying nothing in return.

Alexander's eyes looked on with horror of a childhood frightening to see the shadows lifting to a rotten walking corpse. Animated somehow by the mystical aura floated around it, but magic's involvement mattered little. A dead man was walking towards him. Fear immobilized all sort of rational thinking and movement until instincts made for backing away from the undead thing that drew closer. Thunder from above shouted and obscured the sloshing sound of undead feet from the right.

"Dahh!" Thunderbolt shouted and backed away with a hiss. He grabbed at his right arm and the wounds made there by the clawed fingernails of another undead being. Flesh around the wound felt as if bubbling under the skin and burning to some sort of infection. His powers subsided the effects within a few more moments but staining Alexander's mind of the undead's touch.

The smell of rotten flesh attacked Alexander's senses with an awful foulness. It had no eyes left, various parts of skin flesh remained with tattered clothing over its inconceivably moving body. It moaned the song of the dead and made for another attacking swipe. A charging bolt of lightning was released at the dead thing shattering its head like glass. The corpse fell down to the ground dead...again. Another bolt was sent to the other undead person impacting its midsection.

It kept coming.

Another charge was made ready, but it was delayed in firing as the sounds of the ground breaking grabbed at Alexander's attention. He looked around him, dread in both eyes at the sight of the impossible happening. They climbed out, new and old corpses of the grave all moving towards him with moaning songs.

A need to keep them distant, Alexander zapped the closest one, destroying its head. His body readied in a combat pose with his fists discharging electricity from them. The first wave came from the sides. A welcome to them with attacking elbows, enough force to the face that knocked their putrid domes right off. Nothing survived the impacted of his charged fists with fallen corpses building up around. He sweat and inwardly pleaded for these things to go away.

Still they came and clawed at Thunderbolt, forcefully cringing and falling back to such simple injuries. The random scraps ate at him, burned under his skin, and became too great of an annoyance to fight with any effectiveness to an already tried body. The hordes unrelentingly crowded him, cutting and scraping with their claws. Strong against his weakened state, grabbing and holding him from making any fatal attacks. The things were after blood, aiming for more than wounds on the surface. Biting and digging with nail and tooth against the durable skin of the man. An old fear realized that crippled Alexander in thinking clearly. They were trying to eat him alive. One found the wound at Thunderbolt's side and dug its fingers in. Eyes grew widely and a shouting cry of pain to the attack of his wound. Alexander wriggled and pulled with every effort to pry the thing from his insides.

His arms were stretched out and hinder him were being pulled back slowly. All Alexander needed was one good shot to get this thing off. No amount of remaining strength proved fruitful in quickening the efforts. The wound grew bigger with the rotten fingers pushing deeper. Eyes caved in to endure with water filtering from them. He didn't notice the static feeling at his fingertips as his whole body grew cold. Not until the crackle and stirring sounds of his electric buildup could he take notice. The pain surrounding him was absent and in its place a sinking wave all collapsing in on itself.

First instincts warned to fight against the unknown crushing feel; not sure if he was commanding it but nothing could give effort in resistance. It wasn't something felt since the first manifestation of Alexander's electrical powers many years ago in youth. Overwhelmed already, there was no choice but to embrace its hold and to do so felt good. A peace came with the energy built up that obscured all the world for but an instant.

Seconds and it no longer could be contained. Eyes shot open and a burst of electrical rage emerged freely from him. His undead restrainers, directly being fed direct electricity from the mere touching of Thunderbolt instantly combusted into pieces. The power unleashed was out of his control. With a growl he was free and a shout of rage carried with the wave of electrical force, fleeing from the summoner. The undead aggressors moaned with an electrical cry before bursting; a same fate of the many undead things caught by the wave.

Thunderbolt dropped to his knee with an exasperating cry. The wave dissipated as fast as it appeared but left the air saturated with a charge. He cradled his side with both hands and saw a finger now severed from its owner was still impaling the wound. He removed it with a painful grunt that followed an erratic breathing pattern. Every part of his body shook with a static numbness to his exhaustion.

The song of the dead continued by those that remained.

A device removed from his belt and a press of a button the controller sprung open. He aimed the green laser at the undead creatures and an adjustment to the controls.

Targets set in.

From the skies it came; the sound of a powerful engine crossing the threshold of sound. It fell to the horizon and charged in full throttle. The undead unaware of the threat continued forward and before in range of Thunderbolt, a volley of laser energy cannon fire pulverized them. Alexander gazed above the fierce explosions to the Storm Rider craft flying as well as if it were manned. Its continuous firepower drew a line of cooking corpses between Thunderbolt and still moving undead.

A half made salute to the inanimate craft for the help before he painfully took to his feet. The sight was taken in with relief along with a cold stare. A sigh given for the rest of whom Thunderbolt refused to call in. All it would take was a single press of the control to signal his distress and they would be at his side in a heartbeat. In his condition, the temptation was there. But as he stared at the horrendous sight of the walking dead behind the fires, his choice was already made and grounded. Whatever it was Thunderbolt was dealing with, had under its will the control of such dark magic beyond any encountered in a single being. More powerful than what any could the Storm Rider, the rest of his team was not expendable.

Distance was made without incident and darkness further enveloped the hills. There was no certainty of being on the right path anymore. Fatigue took its toll and getting one foot in front of the other became a task to accomplish. He thoughts turned to Amy and of her capture. It wasn't even sure anymore if she was still alive. Was there still even a chance of fighting to save her?

Not until a coming into view lamppost was seen did he think much of getting any further. He stopped to stare a bit before moving for it. Something to give him a badly needed charge, a fighting chance. He couldn't fly to the thunderstorm above in state he was in. Much too weak for that against the already uncertainty as to a sudden charge from a lightening bolt was survivable right now.

A chuckle to the dumb luck of finding the post and the many more following it. A step taken and on something oddly that stopped Thunderbolt. Solid yet oddly soft. Leather like in feeling and warm. Lowly a growling was heard in response. Alexander gasped already too late as the thing underneath his boot sprung loose. It whipped out and coiled around his arms and waist section as a snake would to its prey. Before long he was in the air as the tail tightened in on him.

"Grrugh...errr. Long-tailed demon!" Thunderbolt struggled to break free.

The creature revealed itself, a four legged thing that looked like a scimitar from the Greek history books. Of a dry and leather red skin burning to the touch. Its sharp black claws on its hands and hoofs breaking the ground with its weight. The eyes stared with an evil glow, something most minds of children were prone to conceiving in their terrors. A pointy edged face with horns on top and darkness surrounding it. A thing of evil Thunderbolt was all to familiar with facing.

It sniveled looking at Alexander. Drool escaping with it displaying its fangs and growls.

"Grugahhh!" The tail tightened around.

Eyes closed to unwilling endure. He pushed outward with his arms to relieve some pressure but not enough to counter the squeeze. The lashing of the tail's end forced one eye to curiously open and to Alexander's horror the spear tip end of the tail was aiming for him. In a flash it stabbed through the right shoulder, cutting through skin, muscle, and bone to the other side. His shout unmatched to the very sound of the thunder above. He fell limp-headed as the mere pain forced death upon him. The demon pleased with itself of the deed gave one last squeeze that received nothing in reply to before flinging its prey clear across the open grounds of the graveyard. The tail-end was ripped out from Thunderbolt's body by the gesture and allowed blood to flow freely from it.

He hit something. Something metal and forced him to the ground. The demon's roar of pride and victory from the distance awakened Alexander to reveal the lite ground from the light above. The sheer stupidity of a brainless brute demon and luck of the ages. A roll to the side to face the base of the pole, a movement the demon hear and saw with vengeful cries. It knew what Thunderbolt was doing peeling back the metal to get at the wires.

The galloping hoofs hurried quickly towards him. Thunderbolt had only seconds; ripping at the wires and feeding its severed end into his palm. Ecstasy to the body and exhilaration to the resurfacing power. Nerves regained stillness, muscle contractions receding, and a heart return to normal speed pumps.

"Thank you," spoken soothingly. A blessing thanked with the wounds of the side and shoulder closing in on themselves with the rapid healing effect. Energy was being restored.

The bellow cries and the break in hoof charge drew Thunderbolt's attention with a snap. In the air he saw the creature diving down, legs first to crush him. The left arm came up, cackled with sparks to the power buildup. The power let loose had a draw back on Alexander's limb as the beam of great electrical light shot its way to the demon. The bright light blinded the beast before scalping its very head right off it. The headless corpse fell to the ground and began to bubble with its rapid disintegration.

Thunderbolt remained still with heavy breaths to the demand of his body. The attack was costly and burned out all the lamppost's power flow. The dizziness brought on by the fatigue fled with the power boost, but Thunderbolt's body still felt several tons heavy when moving. A fraction of power, enough for a quick flight into the air. Risky to a point of death as he went up, but odds already stacked against him in the fight for Amy were worth the sudden charge. The fight wouldn't last long if some sort of power was regained in his body. Cold rusted in to his ascent and the thunder boomed louder than his ears cared for. A violent storm that generated fear growing closer to it. Nonetheless Alexander had to try. His body needed rest but his powers needed a massive recharge.

He stopped not far away from the clouds to not dare entering them. Exhaling the last of his seconds thoughts about it, Thunderbolt extended his arms outward and began shifting the charge around him. The static field made his skin tingle and the air itchy. A posing charge to attract the attention of a thing with the same potent power of an atom bomb. A back-build rumbling, to signal Alexander. His plan was working. It took his mind several seconds to register the first hit and because the charge around him remained intact, the thunderstorm struck again and again. It poured around until the summoner of the energy disturbance was hit.

"Ahhhhh!" came his scream to the bolt that hit. His teeth clamped together with to somehow bite down on the pain. A painful feeding that sent him hurling to the ground. Old memories renewed to the burned feelings of battling his nemesis.

He hated the heat.

A hand on his chest as he returned to his feet to the rapid beating heart; an amazement to have survived the gamble. Recent wounds were agreeably sealed and powers nearly to a full restoration of energy further complimented Alexander's determination. A rush to the tired body for the fight as he stepped out his small created creator.

The growl of a new unnatural thing carried swiftly to his ears. It moved fast against the mud, wildly growing closer. Both fists powered up and illuminated the surrounding grounds. Battle ready and with a turn of the heel to face every angle around for the echoing sound of the beast's approach. Eyes searched far and wide, from side to side to locate it from under the mask of the storm. The roar was loud and upon Thunderbolt just as he turned to the heaven's. The beast was a furry thing with razor claws jabbing out for him and fangs dripping for a kill. It lashed out and ribbed away at Alexander's mask. A part of his face revealed as a strain of sandy brown hair was ripped away from the strike to him.

Two charged fists came at both sides of the creature's ribs forcing out a dog-like injured whine before falling to the ground in a roll. Thunderbolt circled with his lightning fists drawn for combat. He couldn't believe with his own breath at what he was seeing. A dog creature in the shape of a man whose name dared not drawn to mind for fear of confirming its realism. A drawn back hand in thunderous charge as Thunderbolt readied to smite the beast.

The growling returned and Alexander's eyes snapped to as another snarling brute of claws and teeth attacked him. He was on the ground before he knew and defenseless as a paw struck down clean in Thunderbolt's face. Sensation of the body nonexistent as he grunted to the attack before vision turned to darkness and Alexander's mind drifted unconscious.


	2. A god's Wrath

Disclaimer: I do not own the DC characters

Claimer: I own my OC characters

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**Chapter Two**

**A god's Wrath**

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"_Dog get hit by a bus_?" was the first thing he said walking up next to the man.

Alexander turned his head acknowledging the presence of his friend, and pleased to see his dark brown hair allowed out and free from the hair products he knew the man hated to use to tame it down. Cheekbone face to a toned out thinner body frame than his own and a dress suit for the office that Jake Syder never seemed to pull off as a natural look. Alexander turned away slightly amused and continued gazing at the city. He leaned his weight on the railing, not really caring just how much wind had picked up in the last hour.

"Just..." Alexander shook his head. "thinking."

Jake shoved his hands in both pockets joining the man in the gazing of New City. "What's it about this time? Old fire-head escaping or his lapdog returning? Kanenon coming back from the dead maybe?"

Alexander scuffed. "You honestly think I think about them all day long?"

Jake leaned his head towards him; "It's what you do," the sarcastic tone never failing to be even slightly hidden. "What else do you think about when looking at this city?"

He smacked his lips and shrugged his shoulders. "What the future holds for this city, what it holds for me."

"Right." Jake rolled his eyes not really in the mood for another philosophical talk and thankfully his friend seemed to notice this time. He must have had another meeting with Alli recently.

"Anyway, is everything ready for the party?"

Jake sighed annoyed. "Invitations have been sent out, party fixtures getting set up, and the list goes on and on but yes everything is ready."

"Good." Alexander stood up placing his hands in either pocket. "Just one piece of business to address before than."

"Right, whatever," Jake shook his head vigorously annoyed. "Why did you have to invite Bill Powers?!"

Powers Technology and Buchanan Inc. both dominate star companies of New City's economics and both heated rivals at nearly everything imaginable. Jake's furious feelings towards its CEO Bill Powers was shared if lesser in display. "For the same reason I invited everybody else. It's not like he wouldn't have come anyways. Any chance to sway more large investors for his rising cause even if it means putting up with us."

Jake just looked ahead, trying to keep his temper from showing. "You know it was his goons I caught yesterday stealing from Kanenon's Alpha place."

"I know." Alexander moved away from the railing, taking a seat on a nearby table chair. "I made sure all the stuff was taken to the hideout or effectively destroyed."

"I know we can't just take him in an alleyway and beat him for it but even I don't see why we're waiting."

"Well, Powers isn't going to be leaving that kind of hardware in the city for Thunderbolt to find. I look in one of his warehouses, he'd be finished before reaching the courthouse. Alpha and anything in it is highly restricted no matter what leverage he has with the government. So..." Alexander raised his hands and dropped them against the armrests. "he's fencing it for someone else to look at and hold onto for him."

"We know he's been talking with the bald guy on the east coast."

"And probably trying to find one of Luthor's more infamous places to store the goods in somewhere in this part of the country."

Jake instantly understood and nodded approvingly. "Tying two company figureheads together in the possession of illegal technology; instant jail time."

"That or we break their ties with one another for good. I'm sure the Superman guy would appreciate that." Alexander threw his hands behind his head pleased. "I may not be the streetwise expert of all time," he pointed at Jake. "but I know a thing or two about what people like him think about. You'd see it too if you weren't busy being angry at him all the time."

"F*#k you too as#*ole."

Alexander grinned and happily slapped his hands back on the armrests as he stood up. "Besides I got other things to worry about."

"Oh, _man who can move at the speed of lightning_, do tell." Jake turned to the man.

"Well," he fiddled around in his pocket. "I have a few things to discuss with Amy tonight after dinner."

"Yeah sure, please spare me the details of another romantic evening and what you can't do with her until...blah...blah...blah. Everyone knows your a class act."

"Thanks," Alexander smirked with effort to not take the remake as an insult. "But that's not the real topic of discussion for tonight."

"Oh, really then? What? A trip to the Bahamas?"

"No...it's uh, here!" Alexander tossed the thing to him and sat down again, fingers feverishly tapping away.

Jake stared at the thing and then at his friend before opening the dreaded box. Of course the band was there. Beautifully simple with a nice rock as its finisher.

"You think she'll like it?"

Jake raised an eyebrow at the question with an expression of common boredom.

"What? She finally said she'd dumb you if the two of you didn't get hitched now?"

**Buchanan Tower, New City **

The conversation took place four days ago. The Storm Rider disappeared from docking that same evening along with every means of tracking Thunderbolt's location. Since then, structural damages were reported all over town. Each one Jake investigated showed traces of electrical scarring and high concentrations of magical elements. With no communications from Thunderbolt and Amy being missing he had to assume the worst of the situation. It wasn't like Alexander to leave them in the dark about these kinds of things.

The tie was strictly annoying so Jake removed it and tossed it to the side taking in a gulp of his champagne. The jacket and the rest of the suit couldn't be removed so easily for party's sake of the spawned socially elite of New City. They being afraid of getting wet from the soon to be rainstorm chose to stay indoors, making the skyscraper's balcony the only retreat for him. The absence of Jake Syder, the co-commander of Buchanan Inc. to needless float around them went on without notice. He dropped his weight on the railings and sighed to being here amidst the fine dining to complement the conversations of the egotistically conceited. He shouldn't be here at such a capacity; the whole charitable thing for the homeless was Alexander's idea and was his party so he should be attending tonight. Not only that, but to break his 'big news' to everyone.

Among other reasons for the improper dismissal for a moment was simple. Jake pulled out the device from the pocket of his jacket and sprung it to life. "G? Status?"

"_Nothing has appeared on sensors_."

"Damn," he tilted his head back and poured the rest of the stuff that burned his throat down. He hated the rich drink and got just angry enough when it was gone to throw the glass out to the city and watch it fall out of sight.

Three days carried on and still no answer from Thunderbolt about his sudden departure. With the Storm Rider alerted to being on stealth mode made it impossible to track, leaving everyone blind-sighted. The person or persons responsible for his friend's behavior had to of known who Thunderbolt was and to take Amy. For whatever reason, Alexander didn't want them being involved. Streets made for a good teacher in the art of a personal vendetta kidnapping, explaining with no surprise at Thunderbolt's uncommon actions. Alexander was taking the bate and walking into a trap. He needed help from what the magic readings indicated.

If Amy was caught up in the middle of the mess of all it as feared, Jake had to find where Thunderbolt was; only by necessity was a public figure from Buchanan Inc. maintained.

"How 'bout the others? Any luck?"

"_No recent signs to his location_."

Jake brushed his hair and to his disgust retrieved an amount of hair product on his hand.

"Ugh!" said in frustration. His slighter long brown hair all neat and combed back from its usual wild state was another misfortune to the class he supposedly belonged to. He whipped the goop unsparingly on his pants leg.

He knew G was doing his best to find him, but something about just sitting back waiting didn't settle well. If he was out there looking his conscience wouldn't be in such an uproar. A friend in trouble and he was stuck doing his day job for identity's sake.

"G, is there any way you can track the Storm Rider? Alexander wouldn't be far from it."

_"Working on other methods to locate. Standard means not possible_."

He tapped the device at his chin thinking. "The slightest chance you can track him let me know."

"_Understood_."

Hearing footfalls behind him, Jake quickly tucked the device away and peered at the coming visitor.

"You're moodier tonight than usual," Vanessa's voice spoken delicately as it carried into his ears.

Vanessa stopped next to him and planted her hands on the railing, Jake eyeballed her for that one second of acknowledging her presence next to him. The woman was beautiful he admitted only to himself. Her long blond hair and slim figure to say nothing of what she looked like in uniform. Tonight however Vanessa chose a fine dark purple dress and some added jewelery, hardly portraying the woman crime fighter Jake was use to seeing in her. Seemed unnatural for one such as her who belonged in the movies or something to be out beating the daylights out of some crook.

Part of her charm he figured; a man could-

The line of thinking was cut off with a quick shake of the head. Vanessa probably picked up on it by the look she gave, but like his own line of thinking, there was a time and place for such things.

"There's more than one reason why I should be." Jake stared back out at the city frustrated at seeing her here. "Thought you were out looking for him."

The added scorn in his voice was noted.

"Been listening in on your talks with G. With the sound of things, you weren't going to last much longer by yourself."

"Maybe not," Jake brought his hands up and folded them under his chin. "But Powers would be the only who should worry if I didn't. Amy and Alexander take top priority right now."

"What did you tell the guests?"

"The truth; Amy is missing and Alexander went out looking for her."

Vanessa shrugged. Not the smartest cover story of all time, but not much she could do to change it. She gazed at Jake with a inward smile for it, thinking it was probably the same thing she'd tell people. A lot of him was so much like herself. Straight to the point and a take no caring crap way of going about doing things. Both grew up on the streets with no one seeing the potential of who they could become. Except of course Alexander; their friendship made for the better person they were today because of him. Most likely it was the reason for Jake to take the man and Amy's safety so personally.

She silently stared at him. A street version of Alexander with an attitude and looks to go along with Jake's unmentioned charm. Alexander was one thing, but Jake was a someone she could grasp her fingers around. Not that she has tried or anything, she reminded herself. But...

Her thoughts soon gave way to a burst of warm wind that demanded an arm to come up for some protection. She looked at Jake who hadn't moved and then at the city.

"You see that?!" Vanessa looked with amazement. "There's a concentration of lightening over there."

_So._ Lightning storms weren't uncommon in New City and was hardly worth attention. Without interest he looked to what area Vanessa now pointed at. The formation of clouds was darker then anything around, the lightning clashing too close together, and too focused on the single area to be natural. Slowly he raised himself up not taking his eyes away.

"Son of a-" Jake rushed for the device in his jacket just as it began to release an alerting signal. He slide it open. "G?"

"Every notice how thunderstorms like that seem to happen when Thunderbolt is _really_ in a fight for his life?" words toneless as they fell off her tongue. "That has to be where he is."

"_Using an emergency maintenance signal sent to the Storm Rider, a electronic report was returned that indicates the extreme usage of the craft's on-board laser system. I have Thunderbolt's location identified_."

"Where?!" Jake demanded.

"_New City Resting Grounds_."

"That would consist with that lightning storm's general area," Vanessa bolted in her heeled shoes for the building.

"See if you can break through the silent codes and get a message out to Thunderbolt. We're on our way." Jake turned, shoving the device in his pocket and ran for the inside.

On his way through the doorway the unimaginable happened.

"Ah, Mr. Syder," the figure of Bill Powers blocked the doorway and halted Jake's straight run through it.

A man who exalted the look of upperclassmen. A fine black suit of old gentlemen with the usual black and tan tie. His well trimmed bearded face and the smug look it always carried. Always with the tired eyes and black hair showing its graying. How by mere principal of his look demanded a punch in the face from Jake.

"Powers," Jake said roughly. "You're in my way."

Powers made a noise of annoyance as he looked down to the drink he was swirling in hand. "Isn't odd that a man who arranges a charitable event and doesn't even bother to show up for it? Strange, wouldn't you agree?"

"Not at all. He's out looking for Amy." Jake made to pass by him not hiding the displeasure of the encounter. Powers knew how greatly he hated him; by the mere confronting, Powers was out to aggravate that hatred.

"Tch. Finally realize she could do better?"

Jake snapped. He rushed Powers and grabbed him by the treads of his suit and shoved him into the doorway. The drink in Powers' hand dropped to the floor as Jake hissed at him.

"Amy Howardson and Alexander Buchanan is ten times what you are, slim. You got no place to say anything about them."

Powers remained calm, adjusting his neck and stared easily back at the face of the aggressor. "A person is defined by the company he keeps."

Eyes burned for the damn man's calmness. Jake cocked back his fist ready to deliver what was well overdue for Bill Powers.

"This is a picture for your boss's investors to see."

"Jake," Vanessa's hand took hold of his fist. "Don't."

He could barely hear her. Not even sure if he wanted to.

"We got other things to worry about now," her calm but forcing voice stated.

Jake turned to her with a startled look and then at the people in the room who fell silent as they all stared at him. He looked back at what he was doing and at Powers.

"Your move," Powers said flatly.

Jake bit his tongue with a hiss; releasing Powers and allowed Vanessa to escort him out of the room.

"That temper of yours best to keep under control there, Jake!" Powers shouted to him. "It'll get you into trouble one of these days."

Powers pulled down on his suit and adjusted it properly to his liking. Not a goal he set out for the party but good enough to call in as a night and Bill couldn't be more pleased with himself. Jake was street scum in a suit masquerading as if he were worth something. And Alexander? Alexander was a complete fool for working with someone like that. He must have known that just as well as Powers did. So why not come to try and prevent something like this as he always had to? Was Jake telling the truth about Amy's situation? Where was Alexander J. Buchanan?

**New City Resting Grounds **

He felt like he got hit by a truck -sadly Alexander did know what that felt like- making for opening his eyes an unwanted necessity. When he did manage to, all that was seen was fog surrounding this little area of the graveyard and these two beasts dragging him by the arms. Why had they not killed him? Mere reaction took over as electricity was sent both their ways making the dog things howl in pain and releasing Thunderbolt.

He jumped up to his feet and grabbed for the one on his right with both hands and to the other with his legs. With one violent flight half spin in the air, Alexander snapped the creatures' necks. He flew to a stance as their bodies fell dead on the ground. He wasn't pleased at all with having to kill something that resembled a living thing as they melted into the ground. Not in his nature at all to kill, but demon creatures and such weren't things of the living.

Somewhere in the fog the moans of the undead gathered around. They remained out of sight as the place was illuminated by some unnatural lighting. Of course the blasting of the Storm Rider was never far from hearing. One good thing Alexander could take in of this place engulfed with evil. The very air in the graveyard was laced with it. Arms came halfway up with electrical charged fists at the ready. Slowly he stepped forward looking every which way and above for another attack. Among the sounds of the undead was a low level breathing sounding made more as a growl to Alexander's ears. Its growing volume kept him on the alert and served as the reason for rolling onto the ground just as a shadowy figure flew passed.

Its wings were that of smoke, somehow maintained in a solid like form as it moved through the air screaming at its identical companion. The wings flapped much like a bird's would as it and the other landed on distant tombstones. Black smoke expelled from their forms and floated only slightly away from them. The low breathing growls sent a shiver down Thunderbolt's spin. Their teeth bore out at him, eyes staring with devilry, hungry to devour. Darkness looped around to give no features part from shape of wings and a lower body. Things of evil with a stare being of hypnotic terror. A lightning stream was held ready between Alexander's two fists.

The screeched before taking off at him rattled the man's ears. They came in fast and nearly paralyzed Thunderbolt with their gaze. He fell on his back and let loose his powers on the two targets. They screamed unearthly cries to the wounds as they flew over him. A jump to his feet and a turn about for another pass, Alexander was ready for them. Adrenaline of the action and fear hid his weary as none of it matter for the moment. They turned in the skies for another go at him and he followed with both eyes. Hands held concentrated forms of electricity for the demons to chow down on.

They came again.

"Grrrah!" his arms were thrown out to the sides, running into the demons who couldn't avoid it. Good hits and in return for his actions, a wing clipped against Thunderbolt's side. He buckled under from it. Not a wound of a physical sense as no damage was done, but of something else wounded him. Something that burned as it set in.

The earlier blood wound at Thunderbolt's side was at a very tendered state being only a cut away from bleeding out again. To say nothing of his shoulder wound. His fast movements were encouraging such a event. A shaky hand moved over it. The wound needed to be protected. One demon flew in and ran right through Alexander's body like a ghost. He gasped out of breath to the attack and fell to his knees in exhausted pains. He shook like crazy as if being frozen; both eyes wanted to bug out of his skull. A second more and he forced himself up again uneasily for another attack that sent Thunderbolt to the ground once more. He heard mumbling, something that sounded to come from a human tongue. A look up to see the fog fan out to reveal a man floating in the air. Legs crossed and hands resting on the knees appearing peaceful and calm. While shadows were friends at keeping the details of his face hidden Alexander knew he was staring at the man who took Amy.

The demons were perched on nearby tombstones waiting for the call. Thunderbolt didn't bother questioning and began marching towards the man in the air.

"Ugh!" He let out from the unwarned attack by an obelisk that crashed into him like a baseball bat. Sent against the ground much like a baseball, he broke through several tombstones until the smash into a burial vault stopped Thunderbolt cold.

He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. Two headstones were lifted up in front and shot at him. The first crashed and splintered into pieces, feeding Thunderbolt pain in his chest. The second he reacted quick enough with his power to zap and destroy before the collision. He took in air fast and deeply already fearing defeat at this man's hands. Before such thoughts could seep its hold on him, Alexander made a quick return to his feet. The obelisk returned for another shot at him; Thunderbolt leaped forward onto it and ran on its stone surface. At his fingertips a stream of his powers was unleashed aimed solely at his attacker.

The air rippled in front of the floating man as the electrical stream neared. Before Thunderbolt's very eyes his attack was absorbed by some mystical portal that converted the energy and shot it right back. The energy was of a dark purple, magic in origin that he dove for cover to avoid. The threat past and Thunderbolt charged for his enemy. Thunder boomed from his speeds increasing greater and greater. He charged in at his enemy ready to ram him.

"Raaahhh!" he shouted before the collision of some unseen barrier between him and the floating man. Thunderbolt stared at him and noticed first with confusion that his foe hadn't even opened his eyes. His black long hair masked a lot of his face, but it was without a doubt that the man's eyes were closed.

No matter. Energies were summoned and lightning was drawn forth at the foe. The attack made it through and chard away at the man's flesh. He squirmed against it yet did not let out so much as a peep. His hands calmly came together and brought forth a mystic ball of green energies and released it at Thunderbolt.

Alexander flew back powerless against the force skidding against the ground and came to a stop with the connecting to a headstone. The wind was knocked out of him as he got up slowly but surely. Dazed but all right, he returned a similar attack of electrical energies. To no surprise the floating man merely floated out of the way and avoided the attack. The green energies returned to his hands for another build up. The attack came quickly, but with a mere step to the side Thunderbolt avoided the attack. The retaliation of his own powers was automatic.

Another green energies summon and Alexander readied to dodge it. The release and speed was just as quick, but he could manage. In a puff of smoke the floating man disappeared. Thunderbolt turned and followed with his eyes the attack and to his surprise saw the floating man right behind him. The energy passed and the floating man caught and violently threw the energy attack back at Alexander who was hurled away once again by the mere force. His jaw dropped too tired to let out the sounds of pain as Alexander fell on his face side to push himself up.

The air moved so gently around him and with its feeling Alexander rolled out of the way as an energy impacted the ground he laid on. He dart up with a fist and landed it dead center of the floating man's face. The attack as surprising as it was did nothing more then break the floating man's jaw and through him back ever so much.

"Where is she?!" Thunderbolt demanded of him.

The jaw bone snapped back in place; the floating man unraveled his legs and planted his feet soundlessly on the ground. His head tilted towards the ground as if were a pain to move it again. The electrical burned flesh healed instantly and the man began speaking. His words were soft and weak like that of a tired old man. Ancient words Alexander heard before but couldn't understand.

"Who are you?" Thunderbolt asked.

The man looked up. "I am he...who is nameless."

The nameless man floated into the air and with a wave of his hand the fog expanded their battlegrounds. Thunderbolt looked quickly all around him expecting an attack but stopped dead to the sight at the expanding edge ahead of him. A man size cross was revealed and when the shadows of it lifted, Alexander looked in shock to see a slender woman in a green dress tied to it. His beloved Amy Howardson.

Lightning broke out from Thunderbolt's eyes.

"You sick..." A thundering charge of incredible speeds at the nameless foe.

He didn't see it coming as Alexander's fist landed fast and hard to his face. The attack was loud with a force of power breaking the nameless one's neck. Another fist for the other side and and gut punch that curled the man over. A clawed fist with an electrical charge followed that hit the chest with a bang. The nameless foe flew back into the fog with more then one bone crushed by the impacts.

Only a second for several deep breaths.

"Amy," Alexander flew to her.

"Alex," she raised her head. Amy was tired and the effort to move seemed strenuous. He swept aside the shoulder long brown hair over her face. She didn't appear to have been physically harmed.

He kissed her madly, thanking God that she was alive.

"Alex you have to get away from here," she pleadingly said.

"That's what I intend for both of us," Alexander ripped her restrains off and tapped the controls of the device on his belt to summon the Storm Rider.

"I mean it! He has power beyond anything I've seen and all he wants is to kill you."

"Rest Amy," Thunderbolt took her in his arms. "I'll take of him."

In the fog his should be dead form stirred. A spark of life continued inside of him that wouldn't die. It was so quiet with nothing but his thoughts and what laid ahead of him when the task of killing one of the protectors of humanity was accomplished. He could have back what he sold for life. The mistake to soon be corrected. His growls and grunts slurred as the nameless one snapped his neck back into place. The rest of his unresponsive limbs followed in coming back into place. Magic erupted and restored his broken body into a working form, he sat up and snarled.

Alexander waited as the sleek silver craft landed and the hood slide open. He hesitated to place Amy inside with the alarms going off to the overheated laser cannons. The result allowed for a maintenance signal of the craft to be sent and the approaching tracers of SkyDive and Night Fighter.

"Clever G," Alexander said.

"Alex?"

"Shh...this will take you out of here as fast as possible."

"Wait," she pushed him. "You're not coming?"

Alexander sighed. "I've got to stop whatever that is back there."

"Alex, you have to come-"

The whistles in the air stole his attention. A breath of air with a quick step to the side, narrowly avoiding a number of energy spikes piercing through the Storm Rider's hull. Amy's only means of a safe and quick getaway made useless right before his eyes. The craft's fusion engine began to overload with the inside being flooded with electrical bursts. Amy still in his arms, Alexander leaped away and dropped to the ground covering her as the Storm Rider exploded. The blast was nothing for him to endure, not the worst he had been through. Few shrapnel pieces hitting his back left bruises from the weakened state he was in.

He huffed at the injuries looking back at the destroyed vehicle.

"Amy? You alright?"

Amy rubbed the side of her forehead. "Yes...yes, I think so."

Alexander tapped the device on his belt, activating his distress beacon. He took the device in hand and gave it to her. "Take this and run as far away from here as you can. Jake will pick you up."

The undead moans grew louder. Amy gasped as both looked to the fog to see the creatures approaching them. Alexander's eyes released more sizzling lightning. His arms powered up and aimed towards the ungodly things.

"Sweetie, cover your ears."

Amy looked obeyed. Alexander had never looked so determined. With a strained groan, Thunderbolt unleashed hell upon his foes. Nothing was held back with his shouts to push the lightning powers out and strike at them. One after another the undead were headless and dead once more. Though his breathing as Amy notice became strenuous, the element of lightning was under his full control, not one of the things fired upon stood a chance. One final burst of energy that ended with a gasp and a near collapse. The energy blow to his body was felt but a clearing to an entire area for passage was achieved.

"Run!"

"Alex," she nearly whispered.

Alexander saw it in her eyes the fear. His pupils turned as far as they could and with one swift strong struck with an upward rear elbow strike. The attack was caught easily by the nameless one's bare hand. Thunderbolt rose to his feet to face him and it was then that the man opened his eyes. They were completely white, devoid of anything that resembled life. No soul could be depicted from gazing into the glassy realm.

The nameless one snarled and presented his hand. From the tips of his fingers sharp darkly energy blades emerged. The sight of them was both real and unreal. In the worlds of magic the trait carried commonly with such dark forces. Purple energies crackled between each digit, adding to the level of their danger.

The nameless one hissed with a carving strike to Thunderbolt's arm and calf.

"Dah!" came the responding yell and too quickly followed with another attack to Alexander's back he arched forward from.

"Alex!" Amy shouted as she watched in horror to the man she loved being struck right before her eyes.

The foe grabbed him and tossed Thunderbolt back to their field of war. Amy thought fast; she looked around for anything to be used as a weapon. First choice was a long piece of shrapnel from the destroyed craft she picked up. The nameless one turned his back to her, his big mistake. She held the thing like a spear and stabbed it into the back of the man aiming for his heart. The attack went through his entire body, but to Amy's surprise he didn't fall. The metal rod he pulled out from his body, dropping the thing useless next to her. With an angry scowl returned at the woman came a slap for her efforts.

Amy got back up to her feet and watched Alexander and her kidnapper face off. Thunderbolt was the first to throw a punch. The impact was heard like a gunshot following another and another. The hits received forced the nameless one back. She prayed hard for his safety and would continue to ask for it until the undead became another of Amy's concerns. Those that remained gathered and moved towards her. She feared them but no so much as to pick up the metal scrap piece once more. She attacked with precision for at first undead thing that neared. Its skull crumbled to the ground and others followed. A roll over their backs and Amy continued her fighting against them one at a time. In her life of knowing Thunderbolt, the woman picked up a thing or two when it came to defending herself.

The blade claws came at his sides and he let out a short yell for them. Alexander fired a fist in return but was caught and held up, opening up another window of opportunity for another slashing attack. The attack was deadly and opened up a clear blood flow to the wound at the shoulder. Thunderbolt pulled away with battlement wounds all over him. He examined his shoulder and the rest of the injuries made so simply. Any tolerance or strength he body could endure counted for nothing against the dark magic the nameless one possessed. Fists continued to be launched and the deadly magic claws continued to strike. The aggravation as clear as day on the nameless one's face as he struggled to overpower Thunderbolt.

He who was nameless spun around Thunderbolt no longer amused by the combating. A drop of his weight to push aside the protector's next attack, leaving the chest openly exposed. With a single killing motion the nameless one came up targeting where all life in a person was kept. The theft would be painful for the protector as the claws would dig and grab hold of the very essence of life. The extraction the foe was ready for, but as the tips touched Thunderbolt's body an unforeseen event happened. The attack against the protector's life bounced right off.

_What_? He questioned.

Thunderbolt stood just as confused but responded quickly as the nameless one struck again and again for his heart. The results were the same, the claws were rejected and shoved off by some unseen element not under his control.

The nameless one had no explanations for it. His masters gave him enough magical powers to quell any resistance a protector of humanity could offer. Convinced that it was true and whatever happened was simply an impossible error, he went for the attack again at Thunderbolt's heart. This time however, he resisted the repelling and his hand fought hard against the unknown force to pass it.

Thunderbolt grabbed at the man's forearm crushed the bones and delivered a knockout punch sending the nameless man clear across the graveyard arena. Thunderbolt sighed and took to the air flying at great speeds to a spiraling down landing on the nameless one's chest. More bones were crushed and not a second wasted to fire several punches to the man's skull that continued on and on. Killing; Alexander's concerns was only to stop this monster indefinitely. Not allow someone with such powerful evil at their fingertips to roam free to harm Amy or anyone else ever again. The principal of no killing of other people by his hands vanished.

Both arms rose up as one with fingers tied together; with all the power in Alexander the man's skull would not survive such an attack. Evil that is what this creature is in human form. No soul by the gaze of its eyes, yet it looked human. Thunderbolt hesitated for but a moment. The nameless one gave an evil grin and shifted his sights elsewhere to his next target. Alexander knew what he was after and brought both hands down fast and hard. Too late.

The nameless one disappeared in a puff of smoke.

He turned and got to his feet as fast as he could, before any speed could achieve the ground broke underneath. Earthly looking chains reached forward taking hold of him.

"What?! No!" He struggled with a madly dash to break free, rallying against what seemed to be the very foundations of the earth. His strength impaired and the bounds of magic made for an impossible means of breaking free.

"Amy!" the cried echoed and carried to every corner of the graveyard.

Amy turned from her latest victory over the undead and saw him bound in chains all over his body. She dropped her weapon and made to run for him.

"Alex."

He who was nameless appeared behind her and grabbed Amy's arm, turning and twisting it behind her back. His other hand went for her throat and pulled her to him. His face grim as he raised his hand to Amy's eyesight allowing her to see the energy claws extract from his fingers. She stared at his hands as the energies sparked between each blade with him whispering of his intent. Thunderbolt shouted in defiance and begged for mercy for her. The nameless one turned the blades to Amy's chest ensuring that the selfless protector of humanity could see every last second of his failure.

"Noooo!"

He sank his claws into Amy. The action stole her breath away as a brilliant light emerged from the extracting point. She felt cold from the furthest ends of her body and continue all the way to her assaulted heart. Her eyes wide open fell upon the skies. Helplessly she drew her last breath as the nameless one grabbed hold of her very life and ripped it from the woman's body. The bright light from her body faded and in the nameless one's hand was a bright orb of incredible beauty shining like a radiant star. He presented it to Thunderbolt, the life force of Amy Howardson, her very soul in his possession.

Thunderbolt's bellowing reached to the very heavens as the nameless one absorbed the orb into his body. The winds haled and the storm above stirred. In a flash, a bolt of lightning came down and struck Alexander. A pain shouted of a man's very being. The bounds that held him buckled and shattered with madness to fuel his vengeful heart.

Freed he fell face first into the ground. A chance to weep but not a tear could be shed.

"Amy," he whispered.

"_Alex_,"the voice called to him softly and ever so sweetly.

He heard the voice in his head once more. A woman's voice he dared to hope that it was her. That she was still alive. His breathing became that of hisses as he aimed sights to the murderer. Amy's body dropped to the ground and in that second of her falling, Thunderbolt raced at her killer. His fist from below came up and hit right under the nameless one's jaw. His feet fled the ground from the attack and in that same second, Thunderbolt summoned all the powers he could and shot it forward at his enemy in a single bolt of lightning.

The nameless one flew fast into the sky and like his pleas of before, the heavens granted him aid. The skies struck down at the nameless foe, pinning him like a metal conductor for the sky lightning and that of Thunderbolt's. He shrieked and cried of that of inhuman means. His very atoms were splitting apart. His hair turned white and burned away as all of him would soon follow. Magic counted for nothing with the nameless one whose cry of pain distorted by the might of the electrical powers. His desperate reach for all of his powers to sustain his form dug down deep inside to that of Amy Howardson's trapped soul. The forbidden power granted by tapping into such a source was far more then expected. The soulless one's body remained intact because of it.

Still alive from what Thunderbolt could see and wanting nothing more to see the thing burn for what he did, but Alexander's powers were spent. He dizzied and fell to the ground. The heavens ceased as he did in the attack and finally yielded its watering content. The nameless creature was still alive, Alexander was sure of it. With everything he had to throw at him was not enough to destroy the monster.

"Amy, I'm sorry."

"_Alex_," the sweet voice called again. "_Get up_."

The nameless once crashed into the earth. Not even his sights could move; dead yet unable to pass away. The cartilage in his joints were burned to a crisp, muscles cooked, and skin charred. His arm burned still upward began to move its digits. The flesh snapped like wood as it became more mobile. He moved his neck with a groan that followed with the rest of his body in motion. A spark of magic began at the joints and renewed what was destroyed. His flesh began to renew as a wave of evil magic appeared and restored the nameless one's body.

"_Alex_," she whispered in his mind.

Alexander looked up hating the sight of his foe coming to his feet again. He struggled to stand on his own and meet him.

When at last he was on his feet again the voice called; "_Alex, run. Leave here_."

Alexander refused to listen. His heart pumped his blood with hate for this creature that stole Amy's life from him. He ran forward, towards his love's killer.

The nameless one snapped his back into place just in time to see the protector charging at him once again. It was unbelievable, a hoax of some kind. The man named Thunderbolt knew now bounds of fatigue. No limits to his power. The heroic man leaped into the air mere milliseconds away as the nameless one summoned a vast collection of dark magic to catch and ensnare him.

The bubble mass of dark magic imprisoned Thunderbolt. He fought with all his might to break free of it, but the trap began its build up. Magic lightning of the darkest kind struck from all directions. It burned and tortured Alexander being powerless to resist. The nameless one concentrated all his magic, focused it into this one trap attack against the protector. Everything he had left was put into exterminating Thunderbolt here and now. Shouts of horrid pains grew louder and louder as a result.

Alexander's wounds renewed in bleeding, his skin burned and all the energies of his body fled. From his wounds, the dark magic entered into his blood streams, poisoning it in every shape and form. Not a red blood cell was left unaffected. He cried out for God's help, for anyone's help.

"Alli!" he screamed.

The screams stopped as he had not energy left to express the pain. His heart slowed. His conscious mind wavered. Inner coldness came to his body.

Death was upon the protector, the nameless one could feel it.

In the seconds of his death, Alexander admitted he had failed. Amy was murdered before his eyes and the killer succeed no sooner in killing him as well. Painfully he admitted to now embraced his own death.

"_No_," the woman's voice said to him.

On his chest a warmth appeared to an accompanied growing light breaking the dark magics attacking Thunderbolt. His eyes dully opened to see, it gave off a song of a thousands harps all playing at once. It was a heavenly tone with such beautiful light that cut away at his bubbled prison. He moved with a struggle and pierced the gaping hole the light had made.

"Impossible!" the nameless one shouted.

Thunderbolt was breaking through. On the edge of death was still fighting against his magic. The nameless one intensified that only prolonged the escape. The bubble broke further and Thunderbolt pushed his head and shoulders through. His face was old, hair grayed, and skin pale, but the anger in his eyes faltered none as he turned them towards the nameless one.

He who was nameless panicked!

In desperation he summoned the dark magic to converge and in a flash of darkness, Thunderbolt disappeared. Thunder claps overhead and the rain poured down upon the land. The nameless one dropped his knees exhausted. Power beyond measure and it still was not enough to destroy his only goal. The moans of the undead caught his attention and with a wave of his hand retrieved all the magic that animated them. The corpses fell dead once more without his magic to sustain them. The fog dissipated and all the evil magic surrounding the graveyard receded. The demons of darkness and smoke faded away into the ground as the nameless one took to his feet and left the battlefield silently. There will be much to pay for the failing very soon.

**The Skies of New City**

Thunderbolt's distress beacon was heard by everyone. SkyDive plunged into the skies doing whatever he could to shake some time off to reach Alexander's location.

"_Alright up there_?" came Night Fighter's voice on the comm link.

Lightning was everywhere and the winds made more drag on SkyDive's backpack sized jet-pack. It was dying out with every second but the threat loomed over him every second he was in the air. With his arms out and the controls at hand, he pressed forward disregarding the risks. Flying was faster then driving anyway.

"I'm alright," SkyDive said. "The storms starting to clear up."

"_G said he'll meet us there. I got an incoming all ears call coming from him_."

"Let's hear it."

The channels in SkyDive's earpiece switched.

"_Attention SkyDive and Night Fighter, the Storm Rider has ceased transmitting._"

The Storm Rider craft was down. It gave worry to SkyDive's insides about his friends but Thunderbolt could handle himself. In the most desperate of times he always pulled through. Always.

"_I'm coming up on the graveyard now_," Night Fighter announced.

"Standby, I'm right behind you." SkyDive dipped his hands down and began his decent from the clouds to where the earth was actually visible. He continued with a sonic boom into the fields and flew alongside Night Fighter on her motorcycle.

The pack powered down and the controls on SkyDive's hands retracted. Booths dropped into the mud.

The sight of the destroyed Storm-Rider sent them onto high alert. Back to back, SkyDive and Night Fighter readied to unleash all hell. Hell which seemed to have already come to this place. The place was a battered mess with bodies everywhere.

"See anything?" she asked.

"Out of the ordinary? Yeah, bunch of dead bodies that are suppose to be in graves."

The smell was gut wrenching.

Night Fighter measured just only an inch shorter than her counterpart. Her costumed attire consisted of a tight black fit, gloves and all. A covered eye piece mask over her face and her lustful blond hair which fell back behind her. Not an attire of much fashion, but fashion was hardly a concern of hers.

He looked around, nerves as tense as any moment of someone in a graveyard in the dark. Something about the air around him didn't sit right.

SkyDive wore a black attire, a dark orange strip from the right shoulder that fell across the chest to the left hip. On the left side of his chest bore the encircled symbol of SD with a matched color of the orange. A belt that matched the orange and its few compartments. Both forearms of the attire armed with one small cannon like weaponry, both pointed out into the darkness. His mask covered all around his head other than the top where the dark brown hair hung down and the mouth area.

The seasoning of the streets prepared him for a lot of things and the shadowed past Night Fighter lived hardened her nerves, but both tensed with the sight of the disturbed graves. Magic they both knew. Time and again the affairs of magic and its dark users have crossed paths with the New City defenders. A fearful encounter each time.

"What in the name happened here?" she nearly whispered with the fear hinted in her voice.

SkyDive didn't answer. His eyes studied the grounds, expected anything beyond reason to happen. He held up his wrist and tapped an the communication device there.

"Thunderbolt," he said quickly. "This is SkyDive, come in."

Moments passed with nothing but static as a response.

Thunder roared above that gained their attention.

"Thunderbolt, this is SkyDive calling. Come in, damn it!" he shouted with a heated passion.

Night Fighter followed suit. "Thunderbolt; Night Fighter here, where the hell are you?"

No answer.

"He might be out of range."

SkyDive shook his head. Alexander's distress signal still came from this area. "If he is, I don't think he's not answering us by choice anymore."

Night Fighter grabbed him. "Don't you dare say things like that! He's alright! 'Can take care of himself. He always does."

SkyDive could agree with her, but the next thing he saw shattered that possibility.

"Oh..." SkyDive's body slumped. "Amy." Water and mud jumped in the air with each fastened footfall he took to reach what he prayed was not what he thought it was.

Night Fighter watched him charge forward and then saw her, lying on the ground. First thoughts flooded through her mind were banished as she followed suit behind SkyDive.

"Please no," she prayed.

SkyDive slid onto his knees and grabbed at the limp being. The nonexistence pulse he found crushed any hope he had to deny the impossible. He was tempted to begin CPR, but the color of Amy's face showed she was well passed gone.

"She's...?" Night Fighter didn't want the answer.

"Dead," came a harsh reply as he took in his hand Thunderbolt's control device. He lowered his head defeated.

Night Fighter's breath grew deeper, mind terrified with the thought of the impossible. Thunderbolt was here and would never leave her here like this. He couldn't be gone, who had the powers to take down someone who could be compared to as a god? He would raise all hell to keep her safe. Hell she noted again to have appeared to be raised all around them.

"No..." she weakly spoke.

If Amy laid there dead and such a battle took place, he should be nowhere else but here. Only one reason could Night Fighter fathom for Thunderbolt's absence.

"Thunderbolt," she tried again, the desperation heard without regard in her voice. He still hand his secondary communications device. "respond, you bas*a#d!"

SkyDive closed his eyes with what he knew was a vain attempt to reach their friend.

"Thunderbolt please," Night Figher's voice pleaded and muffled with her became teary eyed. "Alex please tell me you're alright."

Her cries and sniffles brought SkyDive back into reality.

"G," he spoke to the communication. "We have a casualty in need of pickup."

Night Fighter's cries could be heard through both communication devices.

"_Who...is it_?" the robotic voice asked.

"It's Amy," he said sternly. "She's dead."

Silence from the other end.

"_Where is Thunderbolt_?"

SkyDive gave another look around, lenses in his mask dropped to aid him.

Nothing.

"We can't find him. He's not answering us." He could imagine those little engines in G's body turning in a frenzy.

"_I'm near to assist_," came a reply.

"Track Night Fighter's position and get here as quickly as possible. I'm going ahead an expanding the search for Thunderbolt."

"_Do you know where to start?_"

SkyDive turned at Night Fighter. One arm across her midsection and the other over her face to shield her tearful face. She felt alone, cold. Much like he was feeling right now. He wanted nothing more then to take her in his arms and comfort both her and himself.

Comfort was something he couldn't afford right now.

"No." The jetpack hummed before its thrusters shot out its blue flamed propulsion and took SkyDive into the air.

The search would consume all of New City again if need be. His face solid and bore the turmoil of his soul. Because of his friend's foolish pride in going about things alone he was in far more trouble than realized. Just where was he?

If he was still alive Jake would find him.

* * *

For anyone who has ever created or dreamed of a hero of their own, this story is for you.


	3. Legacy Left Behind

Disclaimer: I do not own the DC characters

Claimer: I own my OC characters

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Legacy Left Behind **

* * *

As far as the woodlands surrounding New City he fled without incident. There was no place to go as he made his way among the trees, the ends of the earth were not far enough to escape. The roots that tripped he cased out their very foundation, the branches that slowed him were several miles apart, and the silence of the of the land terrified the nameless one. They would not understand his failing for he himself could not grasp its reason. What powers were granted to him should have been enough to defeat the protector of humanity the people called Thunderbolt. By their word it was enough and it alone would be the only deciding reason to scorn him. They demanded results and rewarded failures with their own unique forms of punishment. For that reason he kept moving, perhaps they had not seen the battle, perhaps there was still time to the protector and please them.

The silence was broken with a clapping of metal. Each direction was visually search for the source, but the sound came from everywhere. The bafflement aided for the fall over yet another root appearing to have been uprooted just down for his benefit. The clapping came with a small chuckle; an unquestionable known voice the nameless one wanted to escape quickly from. The stalking laughter continued with him returning to his feet and resumed moving forward.

"Brilliant," the clapping slowed. "But did you really think to outrun me?"

The nameless one froze to the figure leading against a tree clapping away in his armored body. He smiled with those cold eyes of his.

"Lord Ares," he bowed.

A snap of his fingers and restraints emerged from the ground and took hold of the nameless one. No power existed in him to break the added comfort. They pulled him down hard to the ground continuing to pull until the very body was being strained.

Ares ceased clapping and pushed off the tree. Approaching the nameless one like a captured animal. "You things are such great things of entertainment. Did you really think to outrun a god? The god of war no less?"

"Lord Ares, please," the nameless one pleaded. "Let me explain."

"My task was simple was it not? Kill the guardian, the protector of humanity with the time given in any way you choose. Was it not simple enough?"

"He," the nameless spat out painfully with the restraints crushing him. "had more power then realized, lord. I was not equipped to handle him."

Ares stopped to the very words that made him glad with madness. With his fist, he ripped the nameless one out of the restraints and held him in the air. "You dare to say to me that the powers granted unto you were not enough? Fool!"

The nameless one was thrown with such ease yet with such force to break through several trees before landing on the ground. Before any chance of recovery, he was lifted up and floated back before the god of war. Ares snapped and took hold of his throat, enjoying the sounds of his struggles for what the nameless one could only compare to as life.

"You were given powers beyond measure of any mortal. You are saying that wasn't enough to kill one simple little man?"

The nameless one gasped. "He was defeated. But something aided him to overcome my magic. I can't explain it, lord Ares."

"So you send him to the pharmakeia to study him? Bold move."

"I thought that if I couldn't kill him, I would send him somewhere he couldn't be a threat to you."

"To cover your failing?" Ares released him allow his free floating form to remain in front of him.

"If my lord, the witch can find what aided him it can be made for serving your great might."

"Mmm...interesting," Ares pushed the nameless one's floating form back a little. "Such a notable thing under my careful guiding hands would be...useful."

"I only did what I must for your sole benefit Lord Ares." The nameless shared with hope he could be spared. Ares seemed to relax in his contemplation.

"Still," Ares raised his hand at the nameless one. "As interesting as that sounds you still failed me."

"Lord Ares I-" the nameless one was cut off by being flown through the air to the far right, crashing into everything possible. Once done, he was flown to the left and the process repeated.

"You creatures are resourceful when it comes to saving your own skins, aren't you?" Ares guided the nameless one's flight into everything carefully with his hand. "I must say it brings out your race's better qualities when forced to fight for life. Perfect for the battlefield."

"Ahhh!" the nameless shouted going up and down from side to side. "Lord Ares, please! Mercy!"

"Mercy?" the god laughed. "What do you think I am?"

The cries of the nameless one brought forth a fire behind the god of war. It exploded, catching Ares' attention.

"Ares!" the dark voice shouted.

"Ah, dear uncle. To what do I owe-"

"Enough games with my creation!"

Aries grinned. "As you wish."

The nameless one dropped to the ground battered by his master's power over him. Barely was it in his power to push himself off the ground.

"Slave! I wait for no one. Here now," Hades declared.

"You heard him slave!" Ares pulled him before the flames. "Bow before your creator."

"Lord Hades," he bowed.

"Do you have what I want?" the dark lord questioned.

"Yes, my lord, yes." The nameless one came to his knees and brought his hands out.

Dark energies formed and connected between the two and from his chest a bright light emerged that is the soul of Amy Howardson. His hands shook to maintain its sustained capture in the world. The fire spat out and seized the orb, drawing it closer and absorbing into the flames and in his keeping.

"A prime find this one is," Hades noted.

"Only the finest fines for you, Lord Hades," the nameless bowed.

"To only be marked with failure dear uncle," Ares crossed his arms.

"What?"

"That's right. Your creation wishes to smooth talk you to mask his faults for not finishing what we truly created him for."

"One of the named protectors of the mortals? He still lives?!"

"My lord please-"

"Silence from you!" the flame burst.

The nameless one quivered. Any chance of regain his soul was slipping further away from him.

"That's right. The one they call Thunderbolt. Instead of killing him, this one sent him off to the ancient witch for study."

"Lords, if you would let me explain."

"Explain what?! Failure to me? And you wanted your reward for it afterward I suppose, yes?" The flame of Hades grew and turned the bluest color. "What fool do you take me for?"

The flames reached out and overtook the nameless one. Nothing burned at first, but when his mouth dared to open, the torturing began. He screamed as the flames consumed and yet did not destroy the man's body.

Ares turned away disinterested. "You know there was something about this protector. I watched the whole thing and I must say he was a lot more powerful then either one of us prepared for."

"Really?"

Ares turned his sights to the heavens. "I think the protector had a little help."

The flames were silent.

"Are we sure we want to provoke this thing into action?" Ares questioned.

"It matters little now. We have set in motion things that cannot be stopped. Now one is in our hold and I'll be watching the ancient witch's progress closely on him. The others are confined by other means."

"If you say so," Ares shrugged. "My father wouldn't approve of any of this."

"You still need daddy's permission to do things of your own, nephew?"

Ares eyed the fire than the screaming thing behind him. "And what of him? He knows of the power his capturing of others wields now. Still need him around?"

The nameless one screamed and begged for mercy of any kind. His eyes shut hard as he spun in the air to somehow escape the flames.

"Entertainment maybe," Hades said increasing the flames surrounding the nameless one. "He will be stripped of most his powers and made to wonder the earth in search until called upon again."

The nameless one called out for them and the fires receded. His body gave off smoke and burned like it shouldn't burn without injury. He brought up his shaky hand feeling the weakness in his bones. His gasped for the powers he once wielded were gone.

"I am finished here, Ares. And since this was a joint endeavor, the rest of his conviction I leave in your hands." The flames disappeared.

Ares brought his fingers together and popped them all before retrieving his sword. "With pleasure."

The nameless one shuttered. "Lord Ares, please!"

Ares cut away at the man's flesh, stripping what made him look as if a living being. The screams were heard for miles of the nameless one who simply was refused death. When it was over, but a handful of flesh remained on the nameless one's skeleton. Ares stepped back to admire the work.

"Not bad, but still has too much of something."

"What more," came the hazy voice. "can you possibly strip from me further?"

"Hmm..." Ares thought. He smiled and aimed the tip of his sword at him. "These."

The blade came and one after another, the nameless one's eyes were removed.

"Ahhh! My eyes!"

"Not much of eyes really and what good are they to someone like you?" Ares toyed with the removed organs in his fingertips. "They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but oh, that's right. You don't have one now do you?"

A shotgun fired off.

"Hey there boy!" came the older man's voice. "Just what the 'hell you think you're to that man there?"

"Mortal, if you know what's good for you, you'll stay out of this."

Another warning shot was fired. Not enough of interest to turn to pay the man mind.

"Maybe you deaf or something," the man cocked the rifle. "I said get away from him."

"Noble fool," Ares calmly said as he released his sword at the man.

The older and rather large man didn't see it coming until it was too late. He was impaled by the god of war's sword straight through the chest. He fell on his back dying within moments.

The nameless one looked without eyes at his hand, a bony thing that had no business being about to move about at all.

"Well," Ares removed the sword. "About the most fun I had for a while, but I think destroying a country I've had my eyes on for some time will make up for the disappointment made here. Feel free to drop a line from time to time soulless one."

Ares vanished.

The soulless one crawled with his bone tipped fingers to the fatter man's motionless body. He examined and snapped his jaw with the possibility. At his command the dark claws extended. Even without a nose he could smell the life force had not fled yet. Perhaps it was in shock to have its body died so suddenly. No matter the cause, the soulless one dipped his claws into the deadman's chest.

The light bloomed from the action.

"No, no, no, nooo!" the soul of the man shrieked. "Please, God! No!"

"Souls."

Amy Howardson, her capture and energy he drew kept him alive during Thunderbolt's final attack on him. He heard the man's final scream for mercy, for his release, but fell on deaf ears as the collector absorbed him into his body. An amount of flesh returned to him as did a degree of power. He rose to his feet looking at the creature he was. A soulless man made a plaything of the gods to torture as they saw fit. To leave him in this form without aid of his original powers. Not something unexpected but the fact that they did this to him drove the collector mad. He shouted in rage followed by wicked laughter.

He was on his own now.

Alone and without a soul to call his own. And the gods have made an ageless enemy out of him.

**Amy Howardson's Hometown**

"...though we now grasp at our dear friend's absence, we cannot grasp at the paradise she now belongs to," the preacher continued.

So few gathered to Amy's funeral as Jake made sure there would no media circus to lay the woman's body to rest. Allegations as to Alexander's possible connection to her death stormed the office's phones with questions. For that, only the dear friends were allowed to know about where the event was taking place; the world probably thought it was being held in New City. It didn't seem right to bury her next to no one she knew in life and with Alexander's body still not recovered yet, there was hope he was still alive. So out respect and dignity for her and loved ones, Amy would be laid to rest in the small quiet town she grew up in.

"And God was with Jesus, every step of the way. As He is with us all every step of the way. From birth till death and beyond..." the preachers words continued.

Jake remained motionless as he stared down at Amy's casket. It wasn't right he figured; on the verge of making her life with Alexander to have that all stripped away in an instant. No one knows who or why they did it like this. Why they chose to get her involved and take her life just to get at Thunderbolt. It was the reason for Jake's anger to fester under his skin. Her killer still had yet to have a face on him.

Why? What she do to anyone?

Amy was a good person and so is Alexander. They deserved happiness and someone took that away. Alexander missing and might as well be dead for what he would return to. He loved her dearly and did everything in his power to keep Amy safe. At long last that safety net for her expended to propose marriage and couldn't have come at a worsened time. If Alexander returned...when he returned, he'd never forgive himself for opening her up to this.

How fortunate Jake thought to himself. To not have such a concern of his own to rip at his heart like that.

Slowly a hand reached and took hold of his. It was warm to the touch, the rain hadn't stopped all day and Jake was soaked in it.

"Jake?" Vanessa covered him under with her.

Jake said nothing.

"...and it is written that those who believe in me shall not perish, but have everlasting life," the preacher began his conclusion. "May the woman Amy Howardson be at rest in the arms of the Lord and everyone who knew her to be at peace."

"Amen," the congregation said.

"We'll get whoever did this," Vanessa whisper but hid none of her angered feelings regarding it.

Jake wearily blinked his eyes as the casket faded into the ground.

"Jake?" Vanessa shook him.

"They were going to get married, Vanessa." Jake finally spoke up. "After all their waiting Alexander proposed to her the same night she vanished. They were going to get hitched and this all had to happen. Why?"

"I wish I could...tell you." Vanessa looked away from him, her emotions running on as thin of ice as Jake's were.

"Alli should have known about the coming danger. She always does." His words practically shouted in the silence of the place. "She should have told him something."

"Maybe she didn't know." Vanessa rubbed his shoulder.

"Tch." Jake shook the woman off. "If she were as much of an actually guardian angel as she acts to be for Alexander then maybe she could at least have done her job for him just this once."

His face tightened and his eyes hardened. "If she cared as much, why not come at least to Amy's funeral?"

Vanessa said nothing. As much as she wanted to defend the kind lady, she couldn't help but feel herself in agreement with Jake. He was angry and so was she, but that didn't make halt for the lack of actual reasoning. Alli was suppose to be watching and warning Alex when things like this could happen. Tears were on the verge of escaping her again.

Jake walked out into the rain. "Are we ready for the staging of Thunderbolt's death?"

Vanessa sniffed a little then shook her head. "Yes, we're ready."

"Good." Jake began to walk. "We should get back. Everyone here will swear that Alexander was seen here for Amy's funeral. Nothing more to do in this hick town."

Vanessa followed him.

"G ready with the tape?"

"Tonight he said it would."

"Good. Let's get back to New City."

From under the cover of an afar away tree she stood weeping. Her tears like the many tears shed on this sad day fell to the ground with no end in sight. She clung to the tree for her only support as all strength left her knees. Nothing in words of wisdom could comfort her torn heart. She cared far greater then Jake gave credit to her for. It was never easy when something like this happened to such men and women who deserved more in life than what it gave.

She met him at his hidden base in the mountains just days ago to warn him.

_"This visit has been strange. You're a lot more cryptic than usual, Alli." Alexander plopped down on the sofa in thought. "You going to tell me what's up?" _

_Alli stepped into the light. Her dark form seemed sickly paler and her white gown tainted somehow in gray. Her cheerful eyes tired and sore as if tears were shed from them nonstop. Seeing her as such, Alexander raced to her. _

_"Alli," he took hold of her. _

_"I come with news I can't seem to bare to you." _

_"What's wrong?" Alexander's eyes moving about in question. _

_"Your enemies are gathering against you now and their attention on you now will come with a high price." _

_"Who Alli? Most of my enemies are dead, locked up or...." Alexander thought about it. Locked up didn't seem right as being chained into the very depths of the earth. _

_"Enemies you never saw coming, Alex." _

_Alexander looked away trying to think. "Who?" _

_Alli closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know." _

_Alexander sighed and began pacing about, combing the edges of his face with his fingers as he thought. _

_"I know how bad a time this is for you to hear right now. I don't enjoy delivering such warnings." _

_Alli knew as well as he did now that her information however insightful it may be was usually scarce in detail. He didn't bother questioning for more answers anymore knowing what little she was often told to her to tell. No one was to know his or her own future to such extents. _

_"Can you at least tell me when?" Alexander asked looking back at her._

_"Soon." _

Her tears would not cease in falling this day. That much was certain of nor the pain endured knowing of something like would happen. The details were not hers, but such things were not to be known for the timing.

She looked up past the tree branches and leaves. "It is done then, Father."

**New City**

"We need this area cleared immediately!" Donald shouted through the speaker box.

The streets gathered with curious bystanders wanting to see what the deal was. Cops all over sealed them as far as they could before the crowds were just too much to push back. Just another target in Donald Smith's book, an excuse for the gunmen to use if things went badly. An unconfirmed amount of gunmen seized control of a Buchanan Inc. building as their stronghold. Thankfully no one was in the building when it was secured. For the past hour few hours they made their demand clear and simple; they wanted to fight Thunderbolt.

People recognized Donald out of any crowd with his trimmed short black curled hair and maintained mustache. Suit and tie to finish off the fitting of what people gathered to be Thunderbolt's lead man to talk to in the police force.

"Mr. Smith, Mr. Smith! Over here!" a reporter tried pushing towards him with a microphone.

"What did I say?!" Donald shouted. "I said get this area cleared now!"

"Yes sir; trying sir!" a patrolmen holding the temp-gate said.

"Do you have any idea what the gunmen want? Mr. Smith?"

"We want Thunderbolt here now!" came the booming voice on speakers.

From a window several laser shots were fired, scaring the people into a panic. No one was hit but the laser fire made most go into a frenzy.

"Get these people back!" Donald took cover and aimed his pistol at the building. Sweat beading on his brow.

"Sargent, you see any of them?" a patrolmen asked.

Donald gave another quick brush look at all the windows. "No. Haven't seen any of them not once. Where's the gunfire coming from?"

As quickly as the crowd emerged with screams they gasped in awe and onlooker's delight at the sky. Donald glimpsed up to the sounds of SkyDive's jetpack landing next to him. He pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose while holstering his firearm in amazement.

"You hero types sure do pick a hell of a time to show up." Donald approached him.

"Anyone hurt?" SkyDive asked.

"No, thankfully. They seem more bent on getting public attention and Thunderbolt's. Where is he anyway?"

SkyDive looked up at the top of the building and pointed to the skies. "He wanted to waste no time in answering their demands of him."

Both watched as the figure flying in the air touched down on the rooftop and disappeared inside the building.

"He's going in at it alone?"

"They wanted him only, Mr. Smith," SkyDive returned his sights to him. "No needless risks of getting anybody hurt he said."

"That's why we bring back-" Donald reacted to the sudden gunfire in the building. He drew his weapon again, ready for an all out fight.

Lasers fired from room to room with the red lighting it gave off. It was fierce firing and sounds much that of hurricane passing through the place. Occasionally Thunderbolt's powers lite the room and vanished along with another supposed gunman's shooting.

"Is there anybody else in the building? A Swat team maybe?"

"No," Donald said quickly. "And Mr. Buchanan gave the whole crew the day off today. Lucky break I guess."

"Yeah, lucky them."

"Whoever is in charge of this certainly knew every inch of this building's infrastructure. None of my men can get through."

"Good. No chance your guys getting harmed then." SkyDive tapped several controls on his forearm panel.

"What is it with you mask types and risk taking? You got a death wish or something?!"

"Not all of us," SkyDive stared at the building.

"Where's the rest of your team at?"

The top floors exploded into a massive fire bomb. Mass panic entered to even the police force as Donald desperately tried to maintain order among his men. SkyDive took to the sky just as the next floor exploded, followed by the next and the next one until the whole building was a pile of rubble.

"Fire trucks! Get them here now!" Donald barked. "Rescue teams!"

"Sarge, no one could have survived that."

"Contact the owner Alexander Buchanan and inform him about what happened." He turned to the floating man."SkyDive?"

SkyDive's face was in utter shock. He moved closer to the building not daring a blink at the sight of it. Donald pushed and shoved to keep up with him.

"Thunderbolt," SkyDive said in defeat.

"SkyDive," Donald rushed to his downward side. "He's alright. The guy's been through worse. Let's get these fires out and help dig him up."

SkyDive looked down at him at the statement. He gave a smirk. "Yeah, he's been through worse."

Both looked on as the fires consumed what was once a proud building of Buchanan Inc. Little could either of them see from the backside of the building, in the alleyways she waited with a saddened look on her motorcycle. The building was of little importance to her, but what its destruction meant was far more damaging to any of them who knew about the plot. Out of the rubble their robotic friend G climbed out and quickly flew away in the darkness. No one was suppose to see him or her at the scene. Night Fighter nodded and with a flip of her helmet visor, stole away into the late night for destinations unknown to her or anyone else on the team.


	4. Prisoners

Disclaimer: I do not own the DC characters

Claimer: I own my OC characters

Author's note to readers: I know this story doesn't have much to do with the Justice League, but later on these characters will play an important role in the plot I have. I hope you have enjoyed the story.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Prisoners**

* * *

"_It is with deep regret and sadness that I, Alexander J. Buchanan am stepping down as head CEO of Buchanan Inc. for the time being to address more personal affairs. I am unable to continue my role as the company's leader and thereby give all duties and responsibilities concerning to right hand man, Jake Syder._"

The reporter on the screen came in to view.

"_That was the tape sent to the news stations throughout New City concerning Buchanan Inc. CEO Alexander J. Buchanan and his withdrawal from the public for an undisclosed period of time. While most investors questioned his reasons, most believe the true source of Mr. Buchanan's disappearance has been linked to the death of Amy Howardson who brought to a hospital dead from causes unknown. Alexander Buchanan and Amy Howardson were rumored to wed this April. _

_Questioning was in order concerning Alexander's location the night of Amy Howardson's death until the sudden and apparent death of Thunderbolt three weeks in a massive explosion that destroyed a Buchanan office in downtown. As seen in the video clip, Thunderbolt rushed in to apprehend several suspects demanding to combat New City's hero when-_"

The TV shut off.

The music and craves of the nightclub was far more entertaining. Lights of color flashing to the overcrowded floor where bodies mingled in fast dance. The young and sociable were going to live life tonight. No bothers to the many problems facing the world nor of the death of the city's famed Thunderbolt. The moments of the evening were better spent in enjoying life. The music fresh in the playground and hot looking girls in questionable attires all over for prowling men.

Craig got in the place easily without the whole ID thing. He was only seventeen but age limits didn't matter to him. Just another obstacle past his parents to run over towards having a good time tonight. Life was too short to waste and tonight's lively party promised a lot of things were going to happen for him. He popped his jacket collar as he took to the bar stand; barkeeper didn't seem to mind passing him a drink or two. Good stuff it was.

One more down and the first signs of the coming buzz made its way into Craig's brain. He settled down in complete relaxation and never minding the big fight had with his girlfriend about her coming with him tonight. She, like Craig heard the story about a local nightclub and all of the people in it found dead several nights ago. The police ruled it as some sort of substance abuse that must have been in the drinks, but the faces left on the bodies said otherwise. She was too scared to come after hearing that and refused to join him. Her absence made for a far less enjoyable experience thus far and Craig wanted nothing more then to down his troubles concerning it away.

"This place is happening man!" a drunk and bounding at the head man next to him shouted.

"Yeah, it's happening," he said lowly.

"Woooo!"

"You look a little lonely handsome," a smooth female voice slowly said behind Craig.

The young man turned around to see a gorgeous living creature standing before him. Short and skin tight shorts with a cut off pink top. A rocking body to the short cut hair that clung to her doll face appearance. A lot of skin showing and a lot he liked seeing as she smiled at him.

"Yeah, well my girlfriend ditched me tonight and..." Craig slapped himself turned back to the bar stand. He was already too impaired to have any of his 'A game' on.

"Aw, you poor thing," she sat next to him, coaxing at Craig's hair. "She didn't want to come?"

"Crazy b#tch thinks all the nightclubs are dangerous now." He took in more alcohol.

"And you still came?" she asked sweetly.

Craig eyeballed her from top to bottom. She was older no doubt, but as fresh as any girl his age would be. Nice legs and other near prefect features to drool over.

"Nothing stops me from having a good time."

_He'll do_, the woman thought to herself.

"Come on," she stood up and dragged the kid to the dance floor.

"Where are we-"

His mouth lip-locked with the woman's, effectively silencing him as he was pulled forward. She carried him with her lips to a corner of the club where more comfortable seating arrangements were made to continue their make out session.

Outside the nightclub stood three lone figures in the shadows of its rear entrance. Of course a bouncer was there at guard over it, a large man whose size suggested no one should mess with. Nothing to concern himself with as he stepped forward, spurs clinging to the movement of his black boots. A dark leather jacket and black pants and that of a westerner's hat wear. His companions he ordered to confront the man first as he was not exactly himself entirely yet.

They lazily made their way forward with efforts to appear normal in step.

"Hey fellas, this way is closed. Go around front if you want to get in," the bouncer said with his arms crossed never minding the harmless duo.

Still they came closer to him.

"Hey," he unfurled his arms. "Didn't ya hear me?! I said go around!"

They moaned in reply.

"All right," he approached them angrily. "You drunk 'tard rejects got to the count of three to clear out."

They moaned once more.

"What are you two, sick or something?"

They stopped at the edge of the shadows as he stopped dead center of them.

"Pardon me friend," the scratchy voice said. "We don't want to make a fuss, but using the front doorway would cause a rather unwanted scene."

The bouncer looked back and saw an outlined figure of another person in the darkness.

"These your pals?"

"Of sort," came the reply.

"Well, scene or no scene, this ain't the way in. And besides," the man grabbed his nose. "Your friends here stink. Ain't no way they're getting in tonight."

"But I must insist that we join the festivities, sir. After all it is a rather lively crowd tonight."

"Am I not making myself clear?" the bounce shook his head in annoyance. "You and your buddies ain't coming in!"

Silence.

"I beg to differ," came the evil scratchy voice and sound of running boots.

The bouncer was already caught in the holds of two undead corpses as claws ran in him and reached for his living soul. Light escaped in a bright form from the assault as it happened; when it was all over the oversized body hit the ground with a thud. More of flesh grew as a result of the theft, but was not enough for the collector's liking. His powers were growing since beginning and the drive to collect more and more was insatiable. A walk to the doorway and tapped the walls with his fingers to begin the entrapment of all the poor souls in the building. Dark magic poured out of and ran across the walls towards every door and window making it impossible for them to get away.

"Inside," he ordered the undead.

The three entered and the first target was unsuspecting guard facing his back to them. A quick jab and the process of the soul extraction was over before the victim knew it. The last door sealed tightly with his magic and in among the crowds his colors and appearance stuck out easily. They stared in disgust to a half covered fleshing face and skeletal body.

"Man," a drunken buffoon came up and slapped his shoulder. "that is some look you got there. You look like a dead guy. Smell like one too."

The collector snapped his head to the man and dug his claws into him. The action sent high pitched screams across the room as the people bore witness to a soul extraction. The drunken man fell to the floor and his face was that of the people seen on the news in the other club. The stories were true. They fled from him, trying every which way for an exit.

"It's locked!" one cried out.

Panic and shouts of terror opened throughout the people as they tried for another way out.

"What's happening?" Craig asked.

The woman on top of him pulled herself up and fled.

"Hey, where you going?"

"Where do you think, kid?! Everyone's screaming their heads off. I'm leaving!"

Craig joined the crowd in trying to find a way out. His phone didn't work, only gave receiving this ghoulish like breathing on the other end. His intoxication made for little comfort against the terror coming over him.

Another came up with a gun in hand. "I got this, b#^ch!" His armed raised up and fired several shots at the collector.

He fell to the shots to everyone's relief. Angered by the stirring the man caused, the gunmen fired every last shot he had into the collector's corpse blasting off curses and taunts at him. When he turned away the crowds gasped in horror making his eyes fall in fear. He bit his lip and turned to see the man he just shot to death on his feet awaiting with claws. Another followed that granted the collector his porting power.

In puffs of smoke the collector attacked and those strong enough to resist were held down by the undead. The crowd of living people were falling in numbers quickly to the collector's fast work. They were in a panic, trying to save themselves then others looking for every which way out of the place. Pushing, shoving, screaming to the point of killing each other to stay alive tonight. Some would simply disappear and their bodies dropped from the ceiling.

The barkeep grabbed his shotgun and came out of hiding. "You freaking spook! Come on out!"

Shots were fired at the roof daring for the unnatural thing to show itself. He stood alone as the people inside dove for any kind of cover. The barkeep shot at the undead and blew their heads off.

A crowd in the corner became so jam packed that a young man was forced out of it.

"Over here, kid!" the barkeeper waved.

The guy ran in terror and like a swoop of a bird Craig was lifted into the air. The barkeep shot at whatever it was before Craig disappeared in darkness above. His cries for help were heard everywhere until replaced by gagging sounds. Silence was broken later by the fall of Craig's body to the floor from out of nowhere soon afterward.

"Come and get me!" the barkeep said in a desperate courage. He shot at the ceiling until his rounds were spent.

Before long he too joined the ranks of the collector's victims. To the remaining alive in the building, their fears spiked with low evil cackling the soul collector gave off. They tried everything to escape such a fate. Pleading to him, pleading to God, breaking down to the floor at the unreasonable was happening, or digging at anything that had a door or window in it. The place was in chaos as the numbers of people still standing dwindled and dwindled to nothing. When over, Soul Collector ported in a puff of smoke to the center of the club. The lights still carried on with the music. Such a lively place this was, he admitted. With a at last inhale of air he retracted his powers over the exit ways.

His body growing in flesh and his powers gaining ever more strength. Tonight's feasting was a success. He loved and craved the power the souls brought him. He adjusted his hat and departed the deadened nightclub with a sniff. Seventy and more people inside and still it wasn't enough. It was far from enough. Soul Collector would be a prisoner of collecting them for a long time to match the powers of the two beings he intended to encounter. He continued on in the darkness of the alleyways searching for more. The many a ones who left themselves vulnerable for the taking. He will seek them out and find them. The rein of the Soul Collector has just begun.

**Somewhere in a cold distant place **

Her walk was slow around him to being ever so in weakly form. A cloak masked her gangling and ugly body. A staff in hand she spoke weakly and in an undertone to not be audible by the means of human ears. Her voice carried in the place they were in and echoed ever so faintly. It was a call of magical study that brought beams over Thunderbolt to try and analyze him. He was unconscious and dying as blood escaped. The beams were rejected and broken to the attempt to enter those same wounds across his body. There was something in this man keeping her from understanding how he is still among the living.

"_Alex_," the voice called to him in Alexander's mind.

"Mm...Amy."

Alexander stirred to the unwelcoming aggression to his body. Unsure as to whether she could handle him, the woman spoke a few words and blew against the palm of her hand. A dust carried in her breath that expanded and concealed Thunderbolt in a block of ice. He would not be able to escape it. Time was on her side and satisfied with it, the woman began her studying of him. A study that lasted for years.

* * *

**Not the End... **

* * *

Hope anyone who has read the orginal publishing of this story called 'Fallen Hero' enjoys the rewritten verison.

These characters -all of them part from the Greek gods- I created throughout my childhood years. They've come a long way since just simply being good guys and bad guys bashing each other's heads in. I am very proud of these characters and the entire roster I have. I encourage anyone who has ever made a hero of their own to pursue the opportunities at making them real to the world.


End file.
